Present Economic Globalization: It is not about free trade, it is protection of patents and copyrights

Nipawin - April 2, 2001 - by: Mario deSantis

Brian
MacLean
Brian MacLean is a down to earth economist, and many policy makers and journalists would

benefit a lot if they would subscribe to his free of charge economic newsletter. His articles are

an intelligent critique of the economic matters dealt with in the Canadian newspapers and they

are full of references about related opinions and research.

global rush
In his March 5-March 11 newsletter⁽²⁾, MacLean criticizes Terence Corcoran⁽³⁾ of the

National Post for castigating the "new global rush" to "undermine anything that

smacks of intellectual property."

growing
gap
In this respect, we have provided evidence, in one recent article, of the absurdity to protect

Monsanto's intellectual property right over the natural right to work on our own land⁽⁴⁾. In

the above mentioned newsletter, MacLean points out that the present monopolies granted to

the big multinational corporations in the form of patents and copyrights are not socially

optimal, and as a consequence, such monopolies are one of the reasons for the present

growing gap between rich and poor countries, and between rich and poor people within one

country.

protection
of patent
Different prominent economists are becoming aware that free trade is not about the free

circulation of goods and services around the world, but about the protection of patents and

copy rights of the big multinationals⁽⁵⁾⁽⁶⁾.

digitized
Conventionally, free trade is advertised as the breaking of tariffs by different countries for

the free circulation of goods and services, but the reality is far away from this biased

advertisement. In fact, tariffs, in general, would increase the price of a commodity by at

most 20% of the ongoing related price in the country of origin; but as our economies have

shifted to a higher proportion of products and services which can be digitized then the

increase of prices would be irrespective of any country and could be in the order of

thousands times greater than the marginal cost to produce these products and services⁽⁷⁾

(almost zero in digitized products or services).

free trade
As a consequence, contrary to conventional wisdom, free trade is not about free circulation

of goods and services, but more and more about the protection of patents and copyrights

held by the big multinational corporations.

------------References/endnotes:

List of relevant political and economics articles http://ensign.ftlcomm.com


Nipawin - April 2, 2001 - by: Mario deSantis

Brian MacLean	Brian MacLean is a down to earth economist, and many policy makers and journalists would
	benefit a lot if they would subscribe to his free of charge economic newsletter. His articles are
	an intelligent critique of the economic matters dealt with in the Canadian newspapers and they
	are full of references about related opinions and research.

global rush	In his March 5-March 11 newsletter⁽²⁾, MacLean criticizes Terence Corcoran⁽³⁾ of the
	National Post for castigating the "new global rush" to "undermine anything that
	smacks of intellectual property."

growing gap	In this respect, we have provided evidence, in one recent article, of the absurdity to protect
	Monsanto's intellectual property right over the natural right to work on our own land⁽⁴⁾. In
	the above mentioned newsletter, MacLean points out that the present monopolies granted to
	the big multinational corporations in the form of patents and copyrights are not socially
	optimal, and as a consequence, such monopolies are one of the reasons for the present
	growing gap between rich and poor countries, and between rich and poor people within one
	country.

protection of patent	Different prominent economists are becoming aware that free trade is not about the free
	circulation of goods and services around the world, but about the protection of patents and
	copy rights of the big multinationals⁽⁵⁾⁽⁶⁾.

digitized	Conventionally, free trade is advertised as the breaking of tariffs by different countries for
	the free circulation of goods and services, but the reality is far away from this biased
	advertisement. In fact, tariffs, in general, would increase the price of a commodity by at
	most 20% of the ongoing related price in the country of origin; but as our economies have
	shifted to a higher proportion of products and services which can be digitized then the
	increase of prices would be irrespective of any country and could be in the order of
	thousands times greater than the marginal cost to produce these products and services⁽⁷⁾
	(almost zero in digitized products or services).

free trade	As a consequence, contrary to conventional wisdom, free trade is not about free circulation
	of goods and services, but more and more about the protection of patents and copyrights
	held by the big multinational corporations.

------------References/endnotes:

	List of relevant political and economics articles http://ensign.ftlcomm.com